What's the ideal grip diameter?

I usually run 1" lights - surefire clones with 18mm cells. I put this rubber sleeve on it that's designed for a bicycle handbars and wonder if it's a little on the thick side. For reference, it made the light about as thick as the Z49 clicky tailcap, or a fraction of a mm thicker.

I believe it is directly related to the size of your hand. I have relatively large hands, therefore my C2 (bored for 18650) fits quite well in my hand...while my wife prefers my Quark (AA).

1.3 inches / 33mm diameter of the MMU-X3 subjectively feels to me to be the lower end of the ideal grip diameter range. Anything smaller just feels too small. I like the chunky/solid 2 inch grip feeling of the MM15. But, it does feel like the upper end of the ideal grip diameter range.

The 1.8 inch diameter of the SX25L3 feels like the perfect grip diameter, to me.

campingnut said:

I believe it is directly related to the size of your hand. I have relatively large hands, therefore my C2 (bored for 18650) fits quite well in my hand...while my wife prefers my Quark (AA).

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I agree with this. This would be to each is own for sure. Some folks don't like knurling and some, like me, love it.

How does it feel to you? If the bike grip is too large, perhaps try the bicycle inner tube? I have seen that as well as heat shrink used with great success.

This is a great thread. I always wonder about this very subject. I try to make the decoration on a light give a good grip while looking decent. I am in the middle of a 26650 / C-8 build for a customer and just last evening I was deciding the outer dimensions and design layout. I think whoever said something about hand size may have the secret. Those of us with big paws like a little more diameter... and I find the older I get I appreciate something that hangs onto me is more comfortable. TL

For me, it's D cell lights. Just sitting or standing with my hand in a relaxed position, it fits just right.

Anything that takes an 18650, tbh.

Nowadays there are many designed that uses the smallest battery form factor. For so many years I have owned big lights such as SF M6, L6, M5 etc. to name a few. Only disadvantage is that they are bulky for camping/hiking. Now I only have single sized lights model around the CR123 size which I feel is ideal as they come in rechargeables R123s and can provide adequate lumens for what I need it for.

My Fenix PD40 and FD40 both running 26650 batteries are the easiest and most comfortable to handle when being used. For EDC I have switched Zebralight.

There are so many different ways to hold a flashlight and human hands are so adaptable that it is hard to say what an ideal grip would be. Are you holding the flashlight with just your fingers or are you trying to wrap your whole hand around it? Are you in the habbit of gripping your flashlight as if it were a baseball bat or like a paintbrush? I can imagine holding onto something up to over 3 inches or less than 1/4 of an inch in diameter.

Think of things designed for the human hand to wrap around: cycle grips, hand tools, luggage handles, pistols, golf clubs, tennis racquets, steering wheels, fishing rods, etc., etc. They represent a range which will work well for a flashlight girth.

I find 26650 lights the comfiest compared to 18650 fed, x3 type feels perfect in hand to me.

What is the ideal grip will vary from person to person.

Take a guy like Andre the Giant who's ring finger is the same size as a 12oz soda can and a 6p will be like me carrying a Streamlight keymate.

Take a typical gal who's ring finger is the size of a dime and a Streamlight polytac may be just right.

My ideal diameter is the same as a bicycle grip or a baseball bat. So the Streamlight stinger or a Mag C size is best for max grip.
Yet holding onto a baby cop light sized flashlight like a MD2 isn't difficult.
A lot of research took place long ago and the 1" body was deemed about the same as an adjustable ball cap...'one size fits most'.

Any links to the research?

Nah. It was all done in secret by Sure Fire and Streamlight using soldiers and police. lol

Maglite spent their resources sue-ing up and comers who were making better lights the size of mini mags and C/D lights.

Bottom line, if 1" weren't so good there'd be a lot more baby cop lights with a different diameter. I think millions and millions of 6P sized lights is the best way to prove that.

I decided that 1" is the ideal for me.

Not only does hand size matter but grip style matters and that all changes anyway between lights and sizes of lights some are held like a club or baseball bat one handed or a hammer if you will some end up being handled by three fingers like a pencil or with the tail cap in your palm.

Different lights different holds different strokes for different folks.

Way too many variables..

just learned I have been running the batteries exactly the opposite of what they are supposed to be in my light. But the light still worked, how bad is this?

Dubripper said:

just learned I have been running the batteries exactly the opposite of what they are supposed to be in my light. But the light still worked, how bad is this?

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Not exactly the thread you wanted to toss this question into I'd say but if you did not blow the bulb oh well nothing happened

The cells are not damaged? There are 4 18650s